REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia national coach John Herdman considers the result of the draw of the 2027 Asian Cup to be a great challenge as well as an important opportunity for the Garuda squad to rise to a higher level in Asian football competition.
Indonesia is in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup along with Asia's strongest teams, namely Japan, Qatar, and ASEAN region rivals Thailand, after the draw which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday (9/5/2026) local time.
Herdman admitted many sides would view the outcome of the draw as difficult for Indonesia. But according to him, the whole group at Asian Cup level does always present a tough challenge.
“I think this draw gives us a great opportunity to take the next step. We will face the best team in the AFC, then a World Cup participant like Qatar, and one of our biggest rivals, Thailand,” Herdman said in an official PSSI statement on Sunday (10/5/2026).
The former Canadian coach judged each match in Group F to have a different character of challenge. Therefore, Indonesia must have a different approach and mentality in every game.
“We have to see this as an opportunity to compete against a top team like Japan and be the underdogs in that match. Then facing Qatar with the best version of ourselves, and bringing the fighting spirit as well as the passion needed to beat a team like Thailand,” he said.
Indonesia is scheduled to face Japan in the first match of Group F on January 11, 2027. Five days later, Garuda's squad will face Qatar before closing out the group phase facing Thailand on 20 January 2027.
Herdman insists his main focus is not simply looking at the weight of the opponents he will face, but rather utilising the tournament as part of a long-term process towards the target of qualifying for the 2030 World Cup.
“Rather than seeing it as a big challenge, I think it's a great opportunity. The result of this draw means we have to take a big step in the next six months,” he said.
As part of the preparations leading up to the 2027 Asian Cup, Herdman revealed the coaching team will begin conducting in-depth evaluations of the composition of players, both from domestic and diaspora competitions in Europe.
According to him, the focus of training in May will be focused on monitoring local players who perform consistently throughout the season, as well as looking at players who are assessed according to the tactical needs of the team going forward.
“The first step is to test the domestic players. Then in June we will look at diaspora players in Europe and combine them with the best local players so that we understand the group better and know who is the right player to take Indonesia to the 2027 Asian Cup,” Herdman said.
He added that the process is not only concerned with player selection, but also establishing the identity of the game and the relationship between players within the team. Each time it comes together, the focus is on developing the framework of tactics, the identity of the game, and building the cohesiveness needed to rise to the next level.
Herdman said the 2027 Asian Cup will be an important part of Indonesia's football roadmap to the 2030 World Cup. He stressed that Indonesia must get used to playing away from home as well as facing stronger opponents.
“We have to be comfortable playing against tougher opponents and close the gap that exists between Indonesia and Japan or Qatar. If we want to qualify for the 2030 World Cup, we have to close that gap,” Herdman said.
According to him, the experience of dealing with high pressure in major tournaments will be crucial for the development of Garuda's squad in the long term.
“This preparation is always towards 2030. It's about giving the players the experience of facing the big moments. That experience will continue to grow as we get together more and more often and play in high-pressure situations,” Herdman said.
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